Saving Grace
by Espeonage Espeon
Summary: "Once upon a time, in a land not too unlike our own, there was a big forest..."


**Saving Grace**

* * *

The light of dawn struck his eyelids, sending the sleeping espeon into a fit of wakefulness. He yawned and stood to stretch. As he stretched, rustling from his nest caught his attention, and he turned to face a sleepy umbreon.

"Good morning, dear," he said. "Sleep well?"

She yawned. "Good morning, love." Smiling, she added, "I did. Did you?"

"Absolutely." They stood in silence for a minute before he said, "It's nice not to have to worry about the kits every once in a while."

She laughed and nodded. "Leon was so thoughtful to offer to watch them on our anniversary."

A knock at the door sounded through their small den. "Coming!" he yelled.

The duo entered their living area through the dirt opening and opened the door to greet their old friend, Leon. To any others, a luxray on the doorstep was a terrifying thought, but to the two eeveelutions, it was standard.

"Good morning!" the luxray exclaimed. "I come bearing burdens."

"Meema! Papa!" cried voices from behind the lion. "Uncle Solus! Aunt Nova!"

A hoard of eevee kits rushed them and tackled the two to the ground. "Just like things used to be, huh Nova?" Solus asked, laughing.

"Papa! Did you and Meema have fun cleaning the den?" their oldest kit asked.

Leon snickered as Solus and his mate blushed and nodded. "We did, dear," said Nova after a moment.

"For a place this spotless, you must've been cleaning the entire night," Leon added, still snickering.

"Meema, why can't we help you clean?" their youngest asked. Leon broke into roaring laughter.

"Umm… Dear, we'll tell you when you're older," she said.

"But it's just that you and Papa clean the den so often! We want to help!" another of their kits yelled. A chorus of 'yeah's sounded from the rest of their children as Leon tried - and failed - to keep himself from rolling on the floor in his laughter.

"Kits, cleaning the den is an adult thing," the luxray said a couple minutes later.

"Okay," the oldest kit said.

"So did Uncle Leon feed you breakfast?" Solus asked.

"I did," he responded. "Took hours to feed them all, though."

"Thanks, Leon," Nova said, smiling. "We appreciate it."

"Anytime!" the lion exclaimed. "Hey, kits! Who wants to hear a story from old Solus there?"

"Yeah!"

Solus glared at his friend before sighing dramatically and leading everyone into their entertaining room. "Alright. So… what story should I tell?"

"Tell us the one about the sleeping princess!" one of their daughters yelled.

"Ewww…" her brothers said. "How about the one about the dashing knight who saved the kingdom?"

"Alright, kits. Calm down," their mother said. A moment passed before she added, "Solus, I think you should tell them that story."

He frowned. "Dear, are you sure?"

"I think they're ready."

"Alright. Kits, today, I am going to tell you the story of Sylvia the Sylveon."

"Does it have romance in it?" their oldest daughter asked.

"Ewww, romance. That's sissy stuff," said one of their sons. "What about action? Adventure?!"

"Of course. But kits, this is a serious story. Listen well." The espeon waited for his family to quiet before continuing.

"Once upon a time, in a land not too much unlike our own, there was a big forest…"

* * *

 _In the forest lived a brave leafeon named Luther. Luther was very brave and always looked out for his family who lived in a den in the middle of the forest. He and his mate, a glaceon named Liana, had two beautiful kits. Their oldest kit, an adventurous eevee who answered to Vee, was very adventurous and loved exploring, but what she loved, more than anything, was to drag her little brother Vince along on her exploration adventures. Now, Vince was quiet and always knew safety was important, so he really didn't like leaving the den with his sister. But she was prone to trouble, and so he would always go with her to make sure she was safe._

 _One day, word flew through the forest that a pack of travelling minstrels were nearby. When Vee heard the news from a chatty chatot, she knew she had to go and listen to their songs. So late that night, she woke her brother and explained her idea._

 _"That's ridiculous, Vee," he said sleepily. "Why not just go back to sleep?"_

 _"Oh, phooey, Vince!" she yelled quietly, pouting. "You never want to do anything fun. Besides, it'll be exciting! It's an adventure!"_

 _Vince, while having just woken up, was no stranger to the adventurous gleam he saw in his sister's eyes. He knew that when her eyes gleamed, it was no longer an option. And so he sighed and left the comforts of his family's den to search the forest._

* * *

"But Uncle Solus," said a nephew. "Isn't it dangerous to go into the forest at night?"

"It is, young one. Very dangerous."

* * *

 _Vee tromped through the forest loudly, humming a happy tune. "Tra la la lay! Tra la di doo!" she sang._

 _"Vee, please be more quiet," Vince whispered. "We don't want to draw attention to ourselves. We're not supposed to go into the forest at night, remember?"_

 _"Oh, hush, Vince. Nothing's gonna get us," his sister said, laughing._

 _A roar interrupted her laughter, and a big scary ursaring stomped through the trees. "Who's there?!"_

 _"It's just a couple of young eevee passing through," Vince said. "We're sorry we disturbed you, sir."_

 _The ursaring glared down at them. "Two young eevee in the forest alone at night. How terrible it would be if something ate them all up!" It lunged at Vee suddenly._

 _"Vee!" Vince yelled. He sped towards his sister and tackled her out of the way. "Let's go!"_

 _They ran from the angry bear, who trailed close behind them. "Come back here, breakfast!" the ursaring roared._

* * *

"Did they get away?" their youngest daughter asked.

"Yes, sweetie," Nova said, hugging her. "Listen to Papa."

* * *

 _The two eevee kits ran for what felt like hours until finally, they ran into a clearing. They were rushing through the forest so fast that the growth rustled all around them, and so they didn't know whether the ursaring was still chasing them. The huddled together in the center of the clearing and listened. After a moment, Vee smiled and yelled, "That was fun!"_

 _Vince glared at her. "Vee! That was dangerous! What if I hadn't been there with you?"_

 _"But you were, so it was okay," she responded._

 _"But what if I wasn't?"_

 _"Oh, phooey, Vince. We're okay and we had fun. Now we just have to find the bards."_

 _"Hoo."_

 _"The bards, silly," Vee responded._

 _Vince shook in fright. "Um, Vee? That wasn't me."_

 _They turned slowly to face a noctowl roosting in the single tree in the clearing. "Hellooo there, children."_

 _"Um… Hello, sir," Vince said._

 _"I couldn't help but overhear. You say you search for the minstrels?" the owl asked, cocking its head._

 _"Yes sir!" Vee yelled. "I want to listen to them sing!"_

 _"I daresay you do. But you must know they do not sing at this hour," said the noctowl._

 _"They don't?" a saddened Vee asked._

 _"Alright, Vee. Let's go home now."_

 _"But they might sing for a couple of young kits," added the owl. "Provided the young kits asked politely."_

 _"Oh, please, Mister Noctowl! Won't you take us to their camp?" Vee begged. "Oh, please!"_

 _"What a cute young eevee you are. I daresay I have no other option!" the noctowl said, ruffling his feathers and letting out a short hoot. "Follow me, children."_

* * *

"Stranger danger!" cried another of their nephews. "Stranger danger!"

"You're right, of course," Solus said, calming the kit. "But they were young, and the noctowl was nice to them. I'm not saying it's okay to follow strange creatures through the forest at night, but in this instance, the noctowl was truthful. See, he'd already eaten for the night, and was about to roost for the coming dawn when the children happened upon him."

* * *

 _As they followed the owl deeper into the forest, Vince spoke to his sister._

 _"Vee, this is dangerous. What if he tries to eat us?!"_

 _"Oh, phooey," she said. "If he wanted to eat us, he would've done it already."_

 _"Almost there, children," called the noctowl._

 _"Now hush, Vince," Vee said. "We're about to meet the minstrels!"_

 _Vince sighed, knowing that he wouldn't be able to change his sister's mind. And so they followed the noctowl in silence until coming upon a large, moonlit clearing. Colorful tents had been pitched in a large circle around a giant tree stump. Torches lit the clearing with a faint, flickering orange glow._

 _"Well, now. Children, it appears I was mistaken," the noctowl said as they approached. "Maybe the minstrels are still awake."_

 _In fact, the closer they got to the edge of the tent circle, the louder the sounds of activity became. Vince and Vee were amazed at the sight. A lot of different creatures were cheering as a wigglytuff took a bow and stepped off the tree stump being utilized as a makeshift stage. Shortly thereafter, a chatot flew to the stump and waited for the cheers to settle._

 _"What a marvelous performance by Wesley! And now, for your enjoyment and ours, Bard Laren!" The chatot ruffled its feathers as the crowd started cheering and a ludicolo replaced him on the stage._

 _"And now, the Ballad of Fairykind." At the sound of his deep voice, the crowd fell silent. He cleared his throat and tipped his leaf dramatically before starting._

* * *

"Now, let's see…" Solus said, pausing. "I'm not sure I remember the words."

Leon cleared his throat. "I remember it well, friend."

Solus smiled and nodded. "If you'll do it for me, I'd appreciate it."

"Of course."

* * *

 _"Yon hill, 'neath rests a hidd'n sight,_

 _A shrine, an egg: unborn._

 _Unknownst to all, beneath that mound,_

 _A crack! The shell is torn._

 _Til thence from part, came forth a child,_

 _Motherless, alone,_

 _And in the dark, beneath that hill,_

 _His cries, from there, were strown._

 _'Alone, am I!' he wept in fear,_

 _And darkness filled the air._

 _'Scared, am I!' the newborn cried,_

 _But none could hear to care._

 _But one did hear that child's words,_

 _The only to assuage,_

 _To lift the child from his hell,_

 _And free him from his cage._

 _The father looked upon his son,_

 _And held him in his view._

 _'Alone are you,' he whispered soft,_

 _'In type and company, too._

 _Hold dry your tears, oh little one,_

 _And weep alone no more,_

 _For I am he who sees the world_

 _And balances its core.'_

 _Upon his words, came forth a light_

 _And wrought the world with change._

 _The birthright of the fairykind_

 _For his son alone to reign._

 _'Dry your face, oh little one,_

 _Let tears run no more free,_

 _For I gave you life and family_

 _And a home, your tree.'_

 _And on his words, the earth did quake;_

 _The child's cave saw doom._

 _The lonely hill caved in that day,_

 _And thus, a new tree bloomed._

 _'The tree of life, I give to you,_

 _Oh little togepi._

 _I ask of you and your new kin_

 _To care for it for me.'_

 _The lonely child shed tears no more,_

 _For life anew began._

 _And on that day, he forged an oath,_

 _And forged the fairy clan."_

* * *

Leon cleared his throat, stood, and mock-bowed before sitting again.

"Thanks, Leon," Solus said. "Now then… Where was I?"

* * *

 _Vee stood in awe of the ludicolo's story. As the crowd cheered and the minstrel took his leave, she regained her voice and motions and took off after him. "Wait!" she cried._

 _Vince sighed and followed. "Vee, you can't just run off like that!" he yelled as she turned a corner. Moments later, he reached the corner himself and rounded it to run right into his sister._

 _"Look, Vince!" she said, taking no heed of his actions. "It's him!"_

 _The ludicolo looked down at them, an amused look crossing him. "Now then," he said, one eyebrow raised. "What are two young eevee kits doing here?"_

 _Vince opened his mouth to tell the bard that they're only there to listen, but Vee responded instantly. "We came to join you!" she exclaimed._

 _"Vee!" Vince couldn't believe his ears. She wanted to join the travelling minstrels? "We can't. Vee, you can't be serious!"_

 _"Completely! It's an adventure, Vince. I can't let this pass. You know I can't," she responded. "Please come with me."_

 _He shook his head again. "Sis, we can't leave Meema and Papa. You know they're expecting again…"_

 _"I know, Vince, but I have to do this…" she said softly._

 _"Please, sis, don't do this," he pleaded._

 _"I have to."_

 _Vince sighed. "There's no talking you out of this. I'm sorry, Mister Ludicolo, sir, but I can't. Please take my sister, though! She really wants to do this. She always was the adventurous one…"_

 _The ludicolo pondered the request for a moment. "Well," he muttered under his breath, "we can always use more help around the camp."_

 _"Oh, please, Mister Ludicolo, sir! Pleaase!" Vee begged._

 _"Alright," he finally responded. "What's your name, young one?"_

 _"Vee, sir."_

 _"Well, Vee, my name is Laren. No need for formalities. After all, we're now travelling partners!" The ludicolo smiled kindly and held out his arm._

 _Vee stretched her paw to meet it. "Thank you so much, Mister Laren! I'll never forget this!"_

 _"Just Laren is fine, Vee."_

 _"Laren, then. Thank you!" she cried._

 _"You're welcome," Laren responded._

 _A moment passed in silence before Vince spoke again. "Vee, what do I tell Meema and Papa?"_

 _"The truth, Vince. Tell them the truth."_

 _"Vee…"_

 _"Vince, I'm sorry, but I have to do this. Tell Meema and Papa I love them!" Despite her obvious happiness, Vince knew his sister. He knew the subtleties of her voice. While she was leaving for greater things, she was sad._

 _"Vee, I'm gonna miss you," he finally said. "It's not gonna be the same without you around."_

 _"I'll miss you too, little bro," she said. "But you'll be fine! Soon, you're gonna have a bunch of little brothers and sisters to play with! And from what I know, there's another family of eevee in our forest. Maybe you'll get to play with them."_

 _"It's not the same!" he yelled, tears threatening to fall. "It's not the same…"_

 _"Little bro," she said, seeming to him more mature than her actual age. "I'm not going to leave forever. I'll see you again, but until that time, promise me something."_

 _He nodded as the tears fell. "Anything!"_

 _"Take care of Meema and Papa and, when the new kits are born, them as well. Be the awesome brother that you are. Promise me that," she said. She walked over to him and nuzzled his neck fondly._

 _"I will!" he yelled through the tears. "I promise!"_

 _"I love you, Vince." She turned back to Laren. "Alright, I'm ready."_

 _As she walked off with her new mentor, Vince looked on in sadness. "I love you too, Sis. Come home safely…"_

* * *

"And I think that's a good stopping point for now," Solus said to his listeners.

"Awwww!" came the collective response.

"Now, now, kits," Nova said, smiling. "Your papa will continue this story later, but right now, it's a beautiful day! Why don't you all go play outside?"

"Just a little more," said their youngest niece. "Pleaase?"

"Pleeaaaaaaaaaaaase!" followed her brothers and cousins.

Solus laughed. "Well, I'm a little tired at the moment. Leon, care to pick it up from there?"

Their friend smiled and stood. "Sure thing. Alright kits, listen well, for this story isn't over yet. There's more to come, little ones."

* * *

 _Once upon a time, there was a small little shinx called Nix. Now, Nix grew up in a large tribe of luxray who shunned the outside world. They claimed it was evil and horrid, and so no one left the clan, and Nix grew up thinking the same._

* * *

"Uncle Leon!" cried one of the kits. "That's not the same story!"

Leon smiled. "Of course it is! You haven't let me finish!"

* * *

 _When all shinx reach a certain age, they are sent out into the wilderness for a week. If they return, they are heralded as a true member of the clan and are given more responsibilities, but failure means death. Knowing this rule, most parents teach their young to survive. And thus, when the day of Nix's trial came, he felt ready._

 _The ceremony was large, of course. The coming of age trial was an important occasion in a young shinx's life. So as Nix left the safety of his tribe, he was cheered on by friends and family alike._

 _A day passed, and Nix still lived. Thus far, he'd run into no large troubles. He knew how to hunt, so he had food, and he knew how to find fresh water, so he was able to quench his thirst. And so, four days later, he felt confident he'd pass his trial._

 _But on the morning of the sixth day, he awoke to sounds he'd never heard before. He looked down from the branches of his sleeping tree at the river's edge and saw a creature he'd never seen before. Fearful, he stayed where he was, frozen in the tree. This was everything his tribe warned him about! An outsider!_

 _But as the strange sounds continued, he lightened up. The sounds were soothing, he decided, but it could be a trap. So still he stayed hidden, waiting for his chance to flee._

 _The creature, previously sitting on a boulder, stood and started walking toward his tree, still making those strange, soothing sounds. The creature's body swayed rhythmically in time with its sounds, majestic, serene._

 _The creature was no threat, Nix decided. In fact, it was quite beautiful. Thinking that maybe his tribe was wrong, he hopped out of his branch and landed right next to it._

 _It froze in fright and stopped its sounds._

 _"No…" he said aloud, voice rusty from five days without use. "Please. Continue."_

 _"Uh… I didn't know you were here. I promise, if I'd known, I would've tried practicing my singing elsewhere," the creature said. From the voice, Nix knew this strange creature was a young woman, perhaps not much younger than himself._

 _"No, please continue," he said again. "I like your… singing? Is that what those sounds you were making was?"_

 _The creature smiled and giggled. "You've never heard of singing? Boy, what rock did you crawl out from?"_

 _"I'll have you know I'm a proud member of the Lightning Clan! Or, I will be…" he said._

 _"Apologies, proud member of the Lightning Clan. But you've never heard of singing?" she asked again._

 _"No. But if it's what you're doing, I think I like it."_

 _She smiled and laughed again. "Thanks. So you want to hear me continue?"_

 _"Yeah! Please!"_

 _"Okay."_

 _He laid down in the grass under his tree and watched as she walked over to the closest boulder and sat on it. She opened her mouth, and the sounds started again._

 _She sang no words, but instead chose to sing a slow melody, but even that was enough to entrance Nix._

 _Minutes passed, then hours, and still the creature sang. As night fell, finally she relented and ended her song._

 _"Wow," he said, awestruck. "You're amazing!"_

 _She giggled. "Thanks! So, what's your name, proud member of the Lightning Clan?"_

 _"Nix! I'm Nix. I'm a shinx!" he said, happy to answer her question. "And you?"_

 _"I'm Vee," she responded. "I'm an eevee."_

 _"An eevee. Do all eevee have such an amazing move?" he asked._

 _She laughed. "Singing isn't a move, silly! It's just something you do!"_

 _"Well, can all eevee sing?"_

 _"No, just me," she said._

 _"Can you teach me?" he asked. "Can you teach me to sing too?"_

 _She smiled at him. "Well, I'm only a student myself. It's why I come out here to practice. My graduation performance is at midnight, so I have to be ready."_

 _"Midnight?" he asked. "But..?"_

 _Horror crossed Vee's face. "Oh no! I have to go! It was nice meeting you, Nix! Bye!"_

 _She stood and ran off into the forest. "Wait!" he called after her. "Wait!"_

 _In that moment, Nix knew nothing but her. He knew he had to go after her. He knew that he had to get to know her more. She was so different from the shinx girls of his clan. She was amazing._

 _And so, without a second thought, he bounded after her into the forest, thoughts of his trial completely lost to his mind._

* * *

"What happened next?" Leon's youngest daughter asked.

"Well, I'll tell you."

* * *

 _Finally, just as night fell completely on the forest, he came upon a clearing filled with strange and wonderful noises. Up ahead, he could see the running tail of the beautiful eevee, and he rushed to catch up to her._

 _But as he neared, she disappeared completely into the masses. He searched for over an hour to no result. But finally, just as he was about to give up on his search, he heard it: singing._

 _Over the entirety of the crowd, her voice rang out. It silenced everyone, enthralling the mass and causing them to follow its source, as if in a trance._

 _And there she was, on the stage. Her voice rang out, beautiful and powerful. Again, there were no words, but the song was different from the one she sang to him earlier._

 _Even without words, he knew her message. Her song sang of mountains and valleys, forests and oceans. It spoke of the adventures to be had in the world and of the comforts of home. It spoke of life. It sang of love. It was a song of beauty._

 _For the hours between midnight and sunrise, the only sound in existence was her voice. Nothing else dared interrupt. Even the wind was still. Finally, after hours of singing, and just when the golden light of dawn started to fill the clearing, she ended._

 _Nix looked around, finding everyone in just as much awe as him. He didn't know if what she sang was typical of singing, but at that moment, he didn't care._

 _She had ensnared his heart._

 _Instantly, the clearing erupted in cheering and clapping and elated praises of the eevee and her voice. Vee bowed on the stage, and in doing so, caught his eye._

 _She gasped silently and smiled. 'What are you doing here?' she mouthed to him._

 _'Listening to you,' he responded silently._

 _She stood and leapt off the stage. Again, she was lost to the crowd, but this time, Nix knew he'd find her more easily. After all, he knew that she'd try to find him. And so, using the chaos of the assembly as his cover, he returned to his sleeping tree to wait._

 _It wasn't long before her singing came again, but this time, it ended abruptly after a few notes._

 _Nix knew, in that moment, that something was wrong. He ran towards where he'd heard her, fur bristling and fangs bared. He vowed to protect her._

 _He froze. Standing over the eevee was a luxray, but not just any luxray. It was his father._

 _"Father!"_

 _"Ah, Nix. I caught lunch," the luxray grinned, teeth gleaming. "A bit light, but more than enough for me."_

 _"Let her go!"_

 _"She's an outsider, Nix. She knows no sanity. All outsiders are heathens, Nix. Why would I spare her?"_

 _"LET HER GO!" Nix roared, flinging himself at his father leg, teeth burning. With as much force as he could muster, he latched onto it, searing the fur on the luxray's leg._

 _"How dare you!?" his father screamed. "How dare you attack me, your own father, to protect this… this outsider!"_

 _"Leave her alone, father," Nix said, fur tingling with static._

 _"What's this? Might you have gained feelings for this beast?" the luxray questioned._

 _"She's my friend, and you won't hurt her!"_

 _"Silence, boy!" His father swiped his paw at him and sent him flying into a tree. "You will not stop me."_

 _"I said, LEAVE HER ALONE!"_

 _And with that, light shone from his fur. Nix felt his form changing, growing. He felt the power flowing through his very core._

 _"Well, that was unexpected. Evolving to protect a barbarian? You're no son of mine," the luxray growled. "I'll let you live out of concern for your mother, but if you ever return to the clan, I will slay you."_

 _With that, he strode away. Nix ran to the side of his friend, the eevee Vee. "Are you okay? He didn't hurt you, did he?"_

 _She stood and shook her head. "No, I'm fine. So that was your papa?"_

 _"Not anymore," Nix growled. "Not anymore."_

 _"I'm sorry. I never wanted to come between you and your family," she said sadly. "Now you can never go back."_

 _"It's okay, though," he responded. "There really wasn't anything for me there, anyways."_

 _"Oh…" She was silent for a moment before saying, "You evolved!"_

 _"Yup! I'm a luxio, now," he said proudly._

 _"A handsome one at that," she purred, winking at him._

 _He flushed, thankful that his fur hid his skin. "Uh, thanks."_

 _She laughed. "I'm just teasing you, though. So what are you going to do now?"_

 _"I don't know…"_

 _"Well, you could always come with me…" she said, her tone questioning._

 _He looked at her in surprise. "Really?"_

 _"Sure! After all, I'm no longer a student. So… Still want to learn to sing?"_

 _From that day forth, the two were closer than close. Best friends travelling the world, seeing sights and singing songs. Eventually, many years later, Nix finally professed his love for her._

 _In that moment, time stopped. She knew that he loved her, of course. But he'd never said it. But it wasn't unrequited. She told him that she loved him too, and in that moment, that instant of time, some number of years after they met… she evolved._

 _The evolution of eevee into a new form is something of a mystery to the world. Of course, the most common way is contact with an elemental stone, or through sheer happiness, but one method was lost to time until that moment._

 _For whatever reason, she took a new form. Ribbons sprouted from her ears, her tail grew, her fur turned pink. And her eyes stayed a beautiful shade of blue._

 _Vee the sylveon hugged her best friend, the love of her life._

* * *

"Awwww," cooed the girls. "That's so romantic!"

Their brothers scoffed. "Gross. Sissy stuff."

Leon laughed. "You kits will find it appealing sooner than you think."

"Never!"

Solus grinned. "I think I can take back over again, Leon."

The luxray nodded. "Go for it, friend."

* * *

 _Of course, Vee would never keep her evolution from her family, so she and Nix took a leave of absence from the minstrel troupe and returned to her childhood home. The timing, however, was not good, as her father and younger siblings had all left to visit some of their extended family. But her meema stayed to watch the den._

 _"Vee? Is that you?!" she cried. "It is!"_

 _"Hi, Meema," she said. "I'm home."_

 _"Vee! I missed you so much!" the glaceon cried._

 _"I missed you too, Meema."_

 _"And you evolved! Your papa and I figured you would, but I've never seen your evolution before," she said. "Do you know what you're called?"_

 _"Laren said that I'm a sylveon. A fairy-type," Vee said._

 _"A fairy-type, huh. Papa and I didn't plan for this. You'll have to give me some time to get your name picked," her meema said._

 _"Actually, I might be able to help with that," said Nix. "Sylvia. I know it's a bit cliché, but I think it fits."_

 _"Sylvia… I like it!"_

 _"Sylvia the sylveon. My daughter. Who's this you've brought into our house?" the glaceon asked, looking at Nix. "A luxio? There'd better be a good reason."_

 _Sylvia smiled at Nix, who nodded slightly in return. "Meema… Nix is my mate."_

 _"Oh, Arceus! You're kidding! No?" she asked incredulously. "Sylvia, that's fantastic! I'm so proud of you!"_

 _"Thanks, Meema."_

 _"So when am I gonna have grandkits?" she asked. "Are you expecting yet?"_

 _"Meema!" yelled Sylvia._

 _"I'm just kidding, dear. That's what mothers do," the glaceon said, smiling to herself. "You'll have to tell me everything!"_

* * *

"And so Sylvia spent the day talking with her meema and her mate. She told her about all the things she'd done since leaving, and in turn, her meema gave her news of her siblings," Solus said. "When the day ended, Sylvia and Nix left again to rejoin their comrades in the troupe, but they still stopped by every so often."

"What a happy story," cried a voice from their door.

"I know that voice!" Nova yelled.

"I should hope so, dear," said the noctowl.

"Noor!" cried Nova. "It's so good of you to stop by! How's your family?"

"Oh, Herbert's doing fine. He sends his regards," Noor said. "So you're telling them this story?"

"Well, actually, we just finished," Solus said, standing up. "And the kits are going to go outside to play now."

"Awww, do we have to?" they complained.

"Little kits who don't play grow into boring old adults," Noor told them. "You don't want to be a boring adult when you grow up, do you?"

"No way!" came the resounding response.

"Good. Now, children, run along. Maybe I'll tell you another story later," Solus said.

Despite their whining, the kits all ran outside and scattered throughout the area known to the inhabitants of the forest as Eevee Grove.

"Solus, you know that's not the end of the story," Noor said, ruffling her feathers.

"I know, Noor. But I don't know if they're ready to hear the rest of it," he admitted.

The noctowl shook her head. "I'm afraid you can't protect them forever, Solus. The three of you can't protect them forever."

Solus, Nova, and Leon exchanged looks. "We know that, Noor," Leon said, finally. "I think they're ready. At least, partially. Who knows? Maybe it'll be good for us, too."

"I suppose so," Nova responded. "But… Leon, are you ready to tell it?"

The luxray nodded. "It only feels like yesterday, but I know it's been far longer than that. I think I'm ready to tell it."

"Alright," said Solus. "Noor, will you be joining us for lunch?"

The noctowl shook her head. "I'm afraid not, dears. I'd love to stay and listen to your story, but I have things to do today. You understand."

"We do," responded Nova. "But you're always more than welcome to stay. Honestly, I think you're the only one of us who knows the whole story."

Noor laughed. "I suppose you're right, dear. But my account isn't firsthand."

"Meema," cried a voice from just outside.

"Yes, dear?" Nova asked.

Their youngest daughter walked into the room. "I'm hungry, Meema."

"Well, go tell your siblings and cousins. We're about to have lunch."

The kit returned outside, and moments later, their den was flooded with young eevee kits demanding food. As Leon entertained them, Solus and Nova headed into their kitchen to retrieve the berries they'd need to feed their large family.

Their pantry was sorted by flavor, or at least, it was normally. However, one of their kits must have snuck in, as the berries were scattered everywhere and the sitrus berries, a family favorite, were suspiciously absent. The couple laughed but collected the remainder and returned to the living area to hand them out.

"Everyone gets two," Solus said as the kits crowded him. "Take your two berries and sit in your normal spots. Uncle Leon is going to tell you another story."

* * *

 _Sylvia and Nix walked through a forest alone, but not out of necessity. They had a wonderful litter of kits, but Sylvia's family had graciously offered to watch them on this day of their anniversary. The two walked a long distance from their family's home, visiting the place they met. A river ran, just as majestic as it was that fateful day._

 _"Remember this spot, love?" Sylvia asked her mate, the luxio Nix._

 _He purred. "Of course! This is the spot you ensnared my heart."_

 _She laughed joyously. "That's right! It's also the place you evolved, if you remember that."_

 _"I do." He nodded, mane shaking. "And where I was cast from my clan."_

 _She smiled sadly. "Do you ever miss it?"_

 _"No," he said, shaking his head. "I do miss my mother, though. I wonder how she's doing."_

 _"Why don't we visit to find out?" Sylvia asked suddenly._

 _"I can never go back, dear," he said. "Ever."_

 _"But love, you'll never know how she's doing if you don't return."_

 _He sighed. "I know that, but I've already resigned myself to that. I chose you over them, remember?"_

 _She nodded. "I remember…"_

 _"So we're not going. We'll just spend the day here," Nix said, sitting on the grassy bank. "It's a nice day. Let's enjoy it."_

 _And the two spent the day enjoying each other's company. At the end of the day, as night fell, they returned to their family home and found it empty except for a note in the nest. It read: "Enjoy your time together, dears. Your papa and I have taken the kits to see your little brother. Have fun cleaning the den!"_

* * *

"How come only adults get to clean the den?" asked the kits.

"We'll tell you when you're older," said Nova. "But for now, just listen."

* * *

 _The two spent the next year with their family in the den, and in that year, their family grew again. They had another two litters of kits, each kit unique and semi-well-behaved. Finally, their anniversary drew near yet again, and as they had done the year prior, they prepared to visit their spot. However, the night before, Sylvia vanished without any warning, leaving only a note saying, "It's time to make amends."_

 _When morning came, Nix found the note. Fear filled him. He couldn't let her find them! His old clan wouldn't be agreeable to make amends. He knew they wouldn't even let her talk. And so he rushed out of their home and ran as quickly as he could to their spot. By the time midday came, he had arrived at their spot, finding it empty._

 _He knew she wouldn't be there, of course, but it was on the way to his clan's home, so he had hoped. But as soon as he found it empty, he continued onward. As he ran, the forest gave way to a mountain, and he climbed. "Almost there," he muttered under his breath._

 _As he neared, sounds of battle could be heard. He knew, in his heart, that his dearest love and his family were fighting tooth and claw. He ran into his clan's territory, determined to save his beloved._

 _"Ah," said a voice, halting him in his place. "If it isn't the outcast."_

 _A luxio, his rival from before, sauntered up to him. "Well, it appears as if your mate got here first. It's too bad. Your father's already 'talking' with her."_

 _"I don't have time for you," Nix growled. "Step aside."_

 _"By all means," his rival said, cackling. "Go ahead. You'll only get to witness her death firsthand."_

 _Nix took off passed the other luxio, and not a moment too soon. Up ahead, he saw his father and his lover fighting._

 _"I just wanted you to make amends with him," Sylvia yelled, dodging a lightning blast from the luxray._

 _"You shouldn't have come here," the lion growled, aiming again. "This is no place for your kind."_

 _"Father!" Nix roared. "Leave her alone!"_

 _"Nix. I knew you'd come," his father said. "No more games, then."_

 _Sylvia screamed in pain as a bolt of lightning, larger than any of the ones before, struck her with deadly precision._

 _"This brings back memories, doesn't it, dearest son?"_

 _"Leave her alone!" Nix growled, jumping between his lover and his father. "You will not hurt her."_

 _"It's far too late for that," the luxray said, laughing. "That last strike I gave was the last strike she'll ever take. She has mere moments left in her pathetic life."_

 _Terror stronger than any he'd felt filled Nix. "No," he whispered. He turned his back to his father and rushed to Sylvia's side. "Sylvia!"_

 _"Nix," she said through struggled breaths. "I love you."_

 _"No! Don't say that! You can't die," he cried. "You can't!"_

 _"I'm sorry, love. I just wanted you to be happy…"_

 _"I could never be happy without you!" he roared, tears streaming down his face. "Never! I love you, Sylvia! How can you expect me to be happy without you?"_

 _"I love you, Nix. Protect our kits, will you?"_

 _"Sylvia!"_

* * *

"No!" yelled the kits. "Why?"

"You see," Leon said, struggling to keep his voice steady. "Sylvia loved her family very much. She only wanted her kits to know their heritage, but Nix knew they could never meet his side of the family. But she refused to listen."

"Why didn't she listen, Papa?" Leon's oldest son asked. "Wouldn't she have lived otherwise?"

"Probably, son," he said. "But Sylvia was very determined. She thought she could change her mate's family's minds."

"But what happens next?"

"Well…"

* * *

 _He heard cackling from behind him, and he turned, tears still running down his face. But when he saw his father laughing madly, his rage grew. "Father, you have wronged me!" he yelled. "You have stolen my love from me!"_

 _"We can never love outsiders, son," said the luxray. "I was only showing this fact to you."_

 _"You are wrong, father," Nix said, tears still flowing. "You are wrong. I did love her."_

 _"Foolishness," his father growled. "You're still but a kit compared to me. Know your place!"_

 _Fangs bared, the luxray lunged at him, but he held his ground. With a tail ringing with metal, he swung it, landing a hit on the luxray's forehead._

 _"You have wronged me!" Nix roared. "You have wronged the clan! Have you forgotten the origins?"_

 _"Do not lecture me on history, son," the luxray said, fangs cold with ice crystals._

 _"How is it, then, that we have the elemental fangs? Are they not abilities the luxray tribes have access to? They are not!"_

 _"Enough! If you will not see the error of your ways, I'll send you to your beloved mate now!" And with that, his father rushed at him again._

 _But when teeth met fur, Nix vanished. "You've forgotten what made us great! The outside world, Father! That is what is great! Our forefathers were not of our tribe!"_

 _"Show yourself!" demanded the luxray._

 _"And our forefathers told me our legacy. I know the truth, Father!" yelled Nix. "I know the truth!"_

 _"Where are you?!"_

 _"Our forefathers gave us our abilities. They gave us the elemental powers. And they can take them away."_

 _At Nix's words, his father felt his teeth warm and the ice in his mouth melt. "What sorcery is this? You've been consorting with demons!"_

 _"No, Father. I consorted with our forefathers. And on my signal, they will come," said the luxio._

 _"What signal?" growled the luxray. A shadow fell over him, and he looked up to see Nix falling from the sky. As the luxio landed on his back, light filled the area._

 _"My evolution."_

 _Nix's new weight crushed his father, limiting his movement. "You are no son of mine!"_

 _"Judas!" roared three voices. "Judgement day has come!"_

 _At that, Nix jumped off his father and ran to his lover's side once again. "I'm sorry," he cried. "I'm so sorry…"_

 _"Hush, young Nix," said a voice. He turned, facing the first of the three forefathers. Her majestic mane fluttered in the non-existent wind. Serenely, the suicune dipped her head. "She is still yet among the living."_

 _The second of the three forefathers walked to the side of the fallen sylveon. "Her life-force is fading fast," said the entei. "We've called our master, but until he shows, she must have the will."_

 _"Judas!" yelled the third._

 _"R-Raikou!" stammered Nix's father. "F-for what reason have you brought your holy visage upon me?"_

 _"Silence! You have disgraced the name of the Lightning Clan! We gave you power, and how did you repay us? Not by protecting the innocent, as we declared, but by slaying it! You, he who leads the people we trusted, have desecrated our honor!" The raikou glared down at the luxray. "What have you to say for yourself?"_

 _"I meant no insult, great Raikou. How was I, your humble servant, to know the old laws?" begged Judas._

 _"You knew and ignored," said Suicune. She strode to the side of her brother, Raikou. "The old laws are part of you. You knew your wrongs and ignored them!"_

 _"And for that," growled Entei. "Your judgement has been decided."_

 _"Forefathers, please forgive me!"_

 _"Silence! Your words bother us," said Raikou. "For your insolence, you will be exiled..."_

 _The luxray shook in fear. "No…"_

 _"Quiet! And for your attempt of murder, the punishment is exile from this world," said Suicune. "Carried out by the Terrible One itself."_

 _"No! You can't do that!" yelled Judas in fear. The ground shook and darkness fell. "No!"_

 _The three forefathers stood in a triangle surrounding the luxray. In the center, the ground grew dark and a portal opened beneath Nix's father. He sank into the earth, screaming curses at the forefathers. Finally, silence fell and the three turned their attention to Nix._

 _"Young luxray, we are sorry for our inaction," said Raikou. "Our inaction before this moment has caused you great pain."_

 _"Honored forefathers…"_

 _"Hush now, young Nix. Our master approaches."_

 _He could only stare in awe as a being described only in myth descended upon the clearing. "Why have you summoned me?" cawed the majestic bird._

 _"Master, our inaction brought despair to our charge," said Entei as he bowed._

 _"Bring forth your charge and his mate," commanded the master._

 _Nix carefully carried Sylvia's body before the master of rainbows, the phoenix Ho-oh. "Oh, great Ho-oh, please! Is there anything you can do? Not for me, but for my love?"_

 _The legend brought to life looked down at him through caring eyes. "What have you to offer in return?"_

 _Nix bowed. "I have nothing to offer, Master Ho-oh. I can offer nothing."_

 _The bird nodded and turned his attention to Raikou. "Raikou, Herald of Storms. Do you vouch for this one's courage?"_

 _"I do, Master Ho-oh," declared Raikou, still bowing._

 _"Do you, Entei, Prophet of Summer, vouch for this one's strength?"_

 _"I do, Master Ho-oh," said Entei, head bowed._

 _"Do you, Suicune, Breath of the North, vouch for this one's passion?"_

 _Suicune bowed her head, silent for a moment. "Master Ho-oh, I have never seen one more dedicated to his lover."_

 _"Very well. Rise, Nix, Master of Lightning. Rise and listen. Your forefathers have stated your virtues. Have you anything to say?"_

 _"Please save her, Master Ho-oh," Nix begged._

 _"You are truly a descendant of your forefathers," said Ho-oh, eyes glowing with laughter. "Passionate to a fault. Very well, Nix. Take my blessing."_

 _The majestic bird spread his colorful plumage, and ash fell from his span. It fell slowly until the wind gathered it and drew it towards Nix and his mate. As it fell onto Sylvia, it lit and burst into vibrant blue flames._

 _"Sylvia!" Nix yelled. "Sylvia!"_

 _"Calm," commanded Ho-oh. "Just watch."_

 _And watch he did, as the flames flickered and died, leaving behind his mate, colors changed, but standing awake with wild eyes._

 _"Nix," she whispered._

 _"Sylvia!" he yelled, frozen in joy._

 _"Go to her, Nix, Master of Lightning. Go to her, and rejoice."_

* * *

"What's all this about, then?" asked a voice from the den's entrance.

"Grace, you're back!" Leon yelled, jumping up and running to her side. The shiny sylveon smiled and hugged him back.

"I am, love," she said.

"Meema!" yelled her kits as they rushed to join the family hug.

"Good to see ya, sis," Solus said after his sister managed to unbury herself.

"Good to see you too, little bro," the sylveon said, tackling her brother in a hug. "Now what's this all about?"

"We were just telling them our story," Leon responded. "Want to finish it off?"

Grace, sister of Solus and mate of Leon, nodded. "I think I will."

* * *

 _The couple embraced, tears running freely between them. Several minutes later, Nix turned his attention back to his forefathers._

 _"Master Ho-oh, I can never repay this favor," he said._

 _"It is no favor to repay, Nix, Master of Lightning. It is a blessing," Ho-oh said. "A gift, if you will. All I ask is that you spread this story to your clans. Make sure the Lightning Clan never forgets their ancestry again. And when you've ensured this, pass the leadership to the most worthy and return to your home."_

 _"Thank you, Master Ho-oh," whispered Nix. "I will do as you declare."_

 _The great bird nodded. "But that is not the end of my request. Just as your mate has bathed in my light, so too must you."_

 _As he said this, Nix felt the master's warmth spread through him, leaving him in a state of bliss and enlightenment. "Thank you, Master Ho-oh…"_

 _"And my final request. When you've passed on the leadership and returned home, your kits will surely wonder about your mate's color. Perhaps they won't ask when you return. Perhaps they might never ask aloud. But they'll always wonder why their meema is so special. And when the time is right, you'll know. You and your family will know. And when that time comes, you will tell them."_

 _"Yes, Master Ho-oh."_

 _"And at the end of your story, you will tell them this…"_

* * *

"They and their entire clan are protected." At those words, a magnificent caw sounded from outside the den, shortly joined by three roars.

"Time to go outside, dears," Leon said. "It's time you met your god-father."

As if by magic, the den erupted into chaos as the entirety of the family rushed outdoors.

Master Ho-oh, in all his brilliance, roosted on the single tree in the clearing. Surrounding the tree were three great beasts: Suicune, Breath of the North; Raikou, Herald of Storms; and Entei, Prophet of Summer.

"Greetings, children."

"Woooaah!" sounded the resounding response.

With a flap of his great wings, Master Ho-oh landed on the ground and leaned his neck down to face the eevee kits. He laughed. "Leon, Grace, Solus, and Nova. Your kits are adorable."

"Thank you, Master Ho-oh," Leon said, bowing his head.

"I speak only the truth, Leon, Master of Lightning," said the bird. The great bird turned to the eevee kits again. "Your Papa and Uncle, is an amazing luxray. You kits had better never forget that."

"We won't!"

"Good," said Ho-oh with a nod. "And remember this, children. From this day forth, you and your entire clan are under my protection. But as you know, my blessing can be revoked. So be kind, children. Be kind and gentle. And," he added, addressing the kit pawing his talon directly, "go easy on your parents."

"We will!" came the response.

"Good. Now, I must be off. Leon, Grace, Solus, Nova. It's good to see you again, but now I must depart. Remember my words, children!"

Silence filled the clearing as the great bird and his subjects left.

The oldest of all the kits turned to the four adults. "Papa, that story…"

"Yes, son," said Leon. "It was true. Yours is the legacy of Nix the Luxray and Sylvia the Sylveon, also known as Leon and Grace. And every word of that story, other than our names, was true."

"You're so awesome, Uncle Leon!"

"Yeah! Go Papa!"

"Kits, settle down. I think you've had enough excitement this day," said Grace. "Time for bed."

"Will you tell us another story tomorrow?" asked the kits.

The four adults smiled as one. "Perhaps."

* * *

 **The End.**

* * *

For those of you who've read "Growing Inseparable," characters here might seem a bit familiar, but this story is not so much a sequel as it is a spin-off. After writing "Growing Inseparable," I found that I very much loved the characters in it, but it hurt to think about. It was a present to someone very dear to me, but after she read it, we ended up parting ways. It wasn't until recently that I realized that the story was just that: a story. And with that revelation came the desire to write more in that universe's canon. And "Saving Grace" was the result.

"Saving Grace" was originally intended to be a tragedy, but after writing it, I couldn't bring myself to harm my characters any more than I already had. I did, in fact, end up writing an ending that carried out the original intent, but honestly, it didn't sit as well with me. So I chose this ending.

And now, I bid thee farewell. At least, for now. And with this farewell comes a request: please leave feedback. Loyal readers of mine know I write fanfiction in order to better myself, but it's incredibly difficult to better oneself without feedback from others. So any constructive criticism you can give is welcomed with open arms.

I hope you enjoyed reading "Saving Grace" as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks for reading.

\- Espeon


End file.
